For Immediate Release: February 1, 2006
Media Contact: Amanda DiGiandomenico, BCKSEET Productions, 215.370.2813

Join BCKSEET Productions for their second annual fundraiser, VALENTINE’S DAY STILL SUCKS! Proceeds from this night of rock and raffles will benefit future BCKSEET productions, such as this spring’s staging of Manuel Puig’s Kiss of the Spiderwoman. This anti-Valentine’s Day party will take place at the Red Room at Society Hill Playhouse. Doors open at 8pm, and the celebration starts at 8:30pm on Tuesday, February 14th. Tickets purchased in advance cost $15.00 and include entrance to the party, one free drink and a participating artists’ compilation cd. Tickets purchased at the door are $20.00 (including drink and cd) or $15.00 (including drink). Student admission is $10.00 (without drink). Tickets purchased in advance also include one raffle ticket and one compilation disc of the evening’s performers.

VALENTINE’S DAY STILL SUCKS! is the perfect remedy for anyone who’s sick of cupid, cute couples and chocolate hearts. This singer-songwriter competition will feature young, refreshing Philadelphia talent performing original music. Musical guests include Blake Charleton, Gillian Grassie, Bryan Lesnick, Naeemah Maddox, Anam Owili-Eger, Ashley Phillips, G. Starr and Nora Whittaker. Anthony D’Amato, BCKSEET’S very own version of cupid, will be on hand to emcee the evening’s festivities. A compilation album of the evening's artists will also be on sale at the event.

The evening’s performers vary in musical styles and tastes. Among them are vocalists, guitarists, storytellers and even a harpist. Their styles include funk, soul-jazz, folk and rock. These musicians have been tearing up the local live and on-air music scene at venues such as Fergie's Pub, Abilene’s, World Cafe Live, the Grape Street Philadelphia, The Tin Angel, Triumph Brewing Co. and the Five Spot, and radio stations such as 88.5 wxpn, 88.1 Bethlehem, PA’s “The Blend”, and NPR’s “Car Talk.” Lesnick, Maddox, G. Starr and Grassie have all released their own EP albums, while Whittaker and Owili-Eger have been featured on various compilation discs and local band albums. Whatever a person’s tastes, they’ll find it satisfied by the eclectic and electric mix of musicians performing at VALENTINE’S DAY STILL SUCKS!

All proceeds from the evening will benefit BCKSEET Production’s future endeavors. For the past five years, BCKSEET Productions has launched shows in Boston (where it was founded at Emerson University by Greg DeCandia), New York City and Guatemala. This year marks its second season in Philadelphia. Previous Philadelphia shows include last year’s Closer, Pvt. Wars. and Angels in America Part I. In the fall of 2005, BCKSEET Productions participated in the Philly Fringe/LiveArts Festival with their workshop of the world premiere play Hung on a Blonde Ponytail and in the Philadelphia Theatre Alliance’s Free Night of Theatre with their reading of another world premiere play Alpha Female.

BCKSEET Productions is a fresh theatre company whose mission is “to produce art with the talents of multidisciplinary artists who educate, entertain and enlighten society with the ideals of classical, contemporary and original cutting edge works of art.” Their next project will be a staging of Manuel Puig’s heart-wrenching masterpiece Kiss of the Spiderwoman. In addition to producing plays, BCKSEET also has demonstrated a strong commitment to the community by hosting benefits and donating part of past shows’ proceeds to such organizations as ActionAIDS.

VALENTINE’S DAY STILL SUCKS will be held on Tuesday, February 14th at the Red Room at Society Hill Playhouse at 507 S 8th Street in Philadelphia. Doors open at 8pm, and the party starts at 8:30 pm. Tickets purchased in advance cost $15.00 and include entrance to the party, one free drink, and a participating artists’ compilation cd. Tickets purchased at the door are $20.00 (including drink and cd) or $15.00 (including drink). Student admission is $10.00 (without drink). Tickets are available at the Society Hill Playhouse or by calling 215-923-0210.

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